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The Late Show Reviews

Won the Vrij Nederland Thriller of the Year award in the Netherlands.Named one of iBooks Best Books Of 2017.Named one of Amazon’s Best Books Of 2017 in the Best Mystery/Thriller Category.Named one of Barnes & Noble Best Books of 2017.Named one of Kirkus Reviews Best Mysteries and Thrillers of 2017.Named one of SouthFlorida.com’s Best Mystery Novels of 2017.

“More perhaps than any of Connelly’s much-honored other titles, this one reveals why his procedures are the most soulful in the business: because he finds the soul in the smallest procedural details, faithfully executed.”
– Kirkus starred review

“Connelly’s special genius has always been his ability to build character like the most literary of novelists while attending to the procedural details of a police investigation with all the focus of an Ed McBain. He does both here, showing us Renée on her surfboard, working out her Bosch-like demons, but also grinding through the minutiae of the case until she achieves that “Holy Grail of detective work,” that moment of knowing she has her man. Many established crime writers have launched new series as their signature heroes age, but few have done it as successfully as Connelly.”– Booklist starred review

“excellent series launch from bestseller Connelly….What follows is classic Connelly: a master class of LAPD internal politics and culture, good old-fashioned detective work, and state-of-the-art forensic science—plus a protagonist who’s smart, relentless, and reflective. Talking about the perpetrator of the assault, Ballard says, “This is big evil out there.” That’s Connelly’s great theme, and, once again, he delivers.”– Publishers Weekly starred review

“New character, same outcome. Michael Connelly delivers an unputdownable hit with The Late Show, proving once again that he’s far and away the best crime novelist on the planet.”– The Real Book Spy

“this seamless blend of protagonist and narrator will leave listeners looking for the next installment.”– AudioFile Magazine (audiobook review)

“Connelly fans should rejoice about rather than rebel against this new series… …The Late Show doesn’t disappoint: the pace is brisk, the dialogue snaps, and the procedural details are letter perfect.”– LitHub.com

“It’s a masterclass in developing a back story without a clumsy, overwhelming info dump and I loved exploring the many facets of Ballard’s personality. …Expect Connelly’s trademark Technicolor locations – but here, the sweeping cityscapes have the welcome addition of beach and waterborne scenes, adding a virtual breath of fresh air amid the smog and vehicle fumes of Los Angeles. Add in snappy characterisation, crisp dialogue and even throw in a fleeting mention of a certain Harry Bosch and you know you’re in for a treat in a book you won’t want to finish.”– Crime Fiction Lover 5 star review

“The Late Show—a timely reimagining of the hardboiled detective novel—really is pure gold. …Equal parts emotional and technical, this masterfully crafted novel owes its magnetic qualities to its offbeat, delightfully flawed heroine.”– iBooks, Best Books of July

“Her high intelligence, empathy with victims, intuition and ingenuity all add up to a character as sympathetic and interesting as the great Harry Bosch. …Immensely readable, The Late Show deserves the acclaim of that proverbial phrase: “I could not put it down”.”-TheArtsDesk.com

““The Late Show” introduces a terrific female character: Detective Renée Ballard. …this new star is a beauty.”– Janet Maslin, New York Times

““The Late Show” marks another milestone for best-selling author Michael Connelly — the launch of a terrific new series with a female lead. Det. Renée Ballard is a formidable character, an insightful and tenacious investigator with an unusual background and a sturdy personality to carry a series. …Connelly has achieved success as one of the top mystery writers by continuing to keep his storytelling fresh. In “The Late Show,” he delivers an exciting police procedural with a unique character.”– Oline Cogdill, SouthFlorida.com

“The Late Show engages from the first page and never lets go, and Renée Ballard is a character I want to be reunited with as soon as possible. Smartly put together, expertly paced and unpredictable. Just great stuff.” – Potts Point Bookshop

“Michael Connelly is a master storyteller and The Late Show is exactly the kind of deftly plotted, expertly paced, utterly gripping novel that I’ve come to expect.” – Booktopia

“A few weeks ago, a friend who’s an avid crime fiction fan asked if I had read Michael Connelly’s new book, The Late Show, yet. He was worried that Connelly might be spreading himself thin by introducing a new main character instead of writing another novel about Harry Bosch or Mickey Haller. Oh, please do not worry, Connelly fans. If anything, the invention of Los Angeles Police Detective Renée Ballard has given him a big juicy shot of energy.”– Colette Bancroft, TampaBay.com

“In Renée Ballard, Connelly has created yet another potentially iconic tarnished knight of those perennially mean streets, a woman who understands, as her psychiatrist warns, that “if you go into darkness, the darkness goes into you”, but will stare defiantly down the abyss nonetheless.”– Declan Burke, Irish Times

“Through describing the detective’s step-by-step movements and dispensing information about her background only on a need-to-know basis, the author creates a bond between reader and protagonist akin to the one Renée shares with “her” victims; and the excited satisfaction we feel at Ballard’s success seems as intense as the vindicating joy experienced by this intriguing new heroine.”– Tom Nolan, Wall Street Journal

“Writing about the instantly appealing police Detective Renee Ballard also recharges Connelly, who has never been in better form.”– Lloyd Sachs, Chicago Tribune

“THE LATE SHOW stands as an outstanding stand alone, however readers will be glad to hear that Connelly intends to have Ballard return, and, no doubt, somewhere along the way there will be an intersection with either or bother Bosch and Haller.”– Sydney Arts Guide

“A brilliant start to a new series from a true master of the craft.”– Crime Watch (New Zealand)

“My bet is you will love this bruised, but tough-as-nails detective much as you do the crusty Bosch. …Connelly is one of the best with police procedurals, insider cop-talk repartee and plot-twisting surprises. With “The Late Show,” he hits the mark again.”– WBUR.org

“Classy and clever, with a tenacious heroine.”– Sunday Mirror (UK)

“Gritty and gripping”– Sunday Sport (UK)

“Connelly has created wonderful characters with Bosch and Haller, but Ballard is a force that with just one novel will easily be as beloved. There’s no doubt Connelly is a master of crime fiction, and “The Late Show” cements that reputation.”– Jeff Ayers, Associated Press

“The focus of THE LATE SHOW remains entirely on Ballard, and with a sequel in the works, I certainly will not turn down the opportunity to read it. More Connelly is good Connelly.”– Joe Hartlaub, Bookreporter.com

“Ballard is tough, smart, relentless and moral to the hilt. Some of the worst villains Connelly has created have been corrupt cops. But there are no worries that Ballard will ever be one of them, rule-breaker though she is.”– Nancy Gilson, Columbus Dispatch

“Equally important, what emerges in “The Late Show” is a character whose sense of justice, fairness and determination reflect Connelly’s strengths as a storyteller as much as they do his better-known detective. ”– Paula Woods, Los Angeles Times

“Lovers of US police procedurals will find Connelly’s latest protagonist as individual and companionable as his earlier ones.”– Morning Star (UK)

“Michael Connelly’s depiction of the adrenaline-fueled nature of detective work is equal parts dangerous, risky and satisfying. Renee Ballard may not be one of the guys, but that works in her favor, and assures her place among the best female characters in contemporary crime fiction.”– KMUW.org

“The new novel from America’s greatest living crime writer is a gripping thrill ride that will entrance you and keep you reading until the small hours.”– Daily Express (UK) 5 star review

“Superb storytelling, with a feisty new character of whom we will hear far more, this cements Connelly’s place at the very top of the crime-writing tree.”– Daily Mail (UK)

“Fast-paced, gripping and stamped all over with Connelly’s trademark stunning police procedural and authentic forensic detail, this is as close up to the real-life work of a detective you can get as we follow Ballard into the shady corners of sunny California to discover LA’s ‘big evil.’”– Lancashire Evening Post (UK)

“Connelly achieves an enormous amount in these 400 pages: he creates a new character who immediately leaps into life; controls a complex, fast-paced plot full of surprises; and continues to enhance his career-long portrait of modern LA.”– Evening Standard (UK)